Indescribable Taste
by RattWitch
Summary: Evil never tasted so good...(Hermione and Lucius) I'm making a ton of changes to the story from chapter one and on. I deleted five chapters and am changing the story completly. It has been a year since I've worked one it so bear with me.
1. Year Seven

Indescribable Taste By: RatWitch Started: 09-17-03 Finished: - Relationship: Lucius; Hermione  
  
Copyright Hermione, Lucius and all other J.K. Rowling Characters belong to J.K. herself and are none of mine. I'm just a big Rowling fan ^-^ Bless you, you wonderful woman.  
  
This is my second Fan Fiction. It consists of fifteen chapters with two thousand or more words a chapter. At least that's my plan and what my chapter summaries seem to say ^-^ From learning from all the AWESOME reviews and reading over my first fan fiction several times, I think this one is will be more improved from my first one. Above the story I included a link to a picture I drew before I started the story. It was inspiration to hang by the computer while I summarized chapters. It's a REALLY rough copy.sorry; I've had it for awhile. And sorry to anyone who thinks I'm "feeding Hermione to the lions" per say.but I think she belongs with the Malfoy's. Hey, I might even do one with her and Narcissa, eh? Haha Enjoy.  
  
This story is dedicated to SicDeamsInc, who I can count on to be the perfect reviewer and friend. You are the ULITIMATE human being and I've never said that to anyone.We're two sides of the same evil =) (a big thanks to Jabberwocky also, who inspired the original pairing of Hermione and Lucius)  
  
Chapter 1: Year Seven  
  
"Look, would you just stand up?" Seamus growled, staring down at Hermione, who had passed out in a stone dead sleep on her Standard Book of Spells: Grade Seven. Her long brown hair hung off both sides of the book in large fluffy tuffs. Some of the locks were even caught in the folds of the many pages. Her breathing was a steady purr of deep, comfortable breaths. Anyone with a sense of caring would have left her to her dreams.  
  
Seamus shook her violently and kicked the leg of the dark wooden chair. Hermione shot up with a look on her face like there was a fire in the library. Her long thick eyelashes were soggy like she had been crying in her sleep and she looked at her boyfriend with glossy, confused brown eyes.  
  
"Yes, Seamus, what might I ask is so important now?" she asked with a dulled expression in her voice and on her face when her surrounding area wasn't in any visual danger. Hermione was beginning to believe this past week her steady boyfriend had been out to annoy her. Earlier in the week they had been playing Wizards Chess and Hermione beat him fairly easily which made Seamus proceed to throw the startled chess pieces at her. Every time she mentioned the word 'library' or something to do with books, Seamus would stare at her with an annoyed look on his face and poke fun at her so everyone else could hear them argue. He knew she hated all of that negative attention on her.  
  
"I see you're in here having your affair with the books again," he said, putting his fists on his hips and pouting like a little boy. He knew she hated that too.  
  
"I can't have an AFFAIR with a book," Hermione snapped, pushing a large lock of bushy hair away from her eyes, "and you know it! Why do you always have to bother me when I'm trying to work?"  
  
"You didn't look like you were working. It looked like you were sleeping to get away from me!"  
  
The girl stood up to her height of five foot seven inches and snatched up her books that were some what covered in saliva. She clasped them up to her chest and sneered at Seamus. "I wouldn't have to fall asleep on my books if you didn't always insist I be with you every waking moment. And it's not because I want to get away from you when I study, it's that I HAVE TO STUDY! I am Head Girl! Getting away from you doesn't sound like such a bad idea though, Seamus. Good day," she said, turning on her heel and stomping away. He was yelling something but was quickly silenced by Madam Pince.  
  
'The nerve of him! I wish he would just disappear so I can have a day of rest,' Hermione thought to herself as she strode through the long corridors from the Library to the stairs. 'His arguments are completely empty. No source of idea in any of it. Ron puts up a better debate.'  
  
She really HAD been hiding out from him. It couldn't really be called hiding though since he knew where she was. It was just a weak excuse to flush out his bickering for an hour. She really was trying to be an understanding girlfriend to Seamus. She didn't exactly have a good track record with guys. None of them interested her for longer then a few weeks. Their droning conversation left her feeling like she's in a daze of stupidity for an hour. Hermione Granger had put up with Seamus Finnigan for over six months and as much as she wanted to give up, her pride held her back and she continued to suffer his annoying antics.  
  
Romance was the last thing on Hermione's Life List. She had her career to think about first and foremost. McGonagall, who had just arrived after a two year hiatus at St. Mungo's for all of those stunning spells to the chest, had been going over her applications for Arithmacy teacher for next year. Her current teacher was talking about retiring and that happened to be Hermione's favorite class.  
  
Suddenly smiling, thinking of a job teaching something as exciting as Arithmacy, Hermoine forgot all about Seamus's outbreak in the library.  
  
"So she's in another of her moods, is she?" Hermione heard Ron say.  
  
She ducked behind a statue that was sculpted in the shape of a large boar. She hated eavesdropping but Seamus, Harry, and Ron were walking together and she didn't want to argue with Seamus in front of her friends.  
  
"Yeah, I just tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to come and eat breakfast with me in the Great Hall," Seamus said.  
  
"Well, that doesn't sound bad at all," Harry said, cocking his eyebrow. "I wonder why Hermione is acting so funny lately. She hasn't even been talking to us much either."  
  
"Yeah, and she won't ever look at us in the eyes. She's always looking down at the floor," Ron said, nearly dropping one of his books.  
  
"Well I've been trying to be a good boyfriend to Hermione but she just seems to want to make it harder and harder for us to get along," Seamus said.  
  
Harry patted him on the back with one large hand and smiled. "She's crazy about you. You'll see. She just goes through these phases. It's Hermione, after all."  
  
Their voices faded into the hallways, still conversing about Hermione. She was sitting only feet away with a broken quill splintered to pieces in her fist. He was ALWAYS lying to them. She should have thought of that and went to talk to them first before Seamus could. It was too late now. If she tried to explain it to her two comrades they would accuse her of being melodramatic which at times she could be. Would they have even believed her if she had told them first? It's true she hadn't been talking to them much but other things were on her mind, aside from the silly craze called love.  
  
Ron had been dating Lavender which was going stunningly for him. Harry and Ginny had been an item for over a year now. It was like some annoying little bug came into Hogwarts and bit all of her classmates with some kissing disease. In the common room she couldn't study with all the spit swapping everyone was doing. It sounded like a baby alien was being born in there, with all the heavy breathing and smacking lips. It nearly always made Hermione's stomach lurch.  
  
"Ugh, just forget about it," she told herself, standing up and brushing the wrinkles from the hem of her gray skirt and pulling up her bobby socks. She had Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid and though the other Gryffindors would be there at least they wouldn't be jabbing their tongues into each others mouths during a class. This cheered her up faintly. Hermione stuffed the broken quill into the front pocket of her bag and strode desperately outside to get some fresh air.  
  
The grounds leading to Hagrid's hut were thriving with life as the leaves and shrubs whispered to each other in hushed voices. Hermione ignored them and quickly walked along the path. There were a few Slytherins in front of her that were having Care of Magical Creatures as well but no one else was walking along the path to class.  
  
Hermione hadn't heard the three boys behind her because the leaves were rustling loudly in their favor. Draco had jogged up beside her from behind, followed by his two overgrown henchmen, and pulled on a string that was sticking from her bag.  
  
All of her books seemed to have the domino effect turned on and they all fell out of her bag with a loud dirt filled thump. Hermione whipped around to meet him and he took one step back, smiling in a friendly way. Draco Malfoy's hair was cut in the usual way, short and neat but the sun always gave it such a shine that even Hermione could have commented on. He knew he looked good without anyone telling him though. He had only improved with age as his baby cheeks melted away over the years to show strong facial features that were just stunning. His height hadn't gone over the top as he was one inch from six feet and he hadn't toned his muscles much either but just enough to add ripples to his arms and legs. Crabbe and Goyle on the other hand had buffed up plenty over the years at Hogwarts and Hermione supposed Draco felt comfortable with them doing the dirty work.  
  
Smooth silvery locks fell in front of Draco's gray eyes that were twinkling with a desire for mischief. "Walking alone again, Granger?" he asked, brushing his hair aside and watching her scramble for her books. "I've been seeing you alone a lot lately."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Please, Malfoy, not today," she moaned, stuffing the final book into the small bag.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind him.  
  
"Hey," Draco said, putting his hands up in defeat, "I'm just walking to class, here. Not a good year for you, huh? That's so good to hear," he said with a childish grin.  
  
Hermione laughed tonelessly, her teeth clenched, and sped up her steps. Draco began walking backwards beside her just to spite her.  
  
"Gryffindors have Defense Against the Dark Arts with us this year? I was so happy that you didn't have it with us last year. Why didn't old Dumbledore see how much better it was and went on with it this year?"  
  
"My question exactly," Hermione grumbled.  
  
"I feel so sorry for you Gryffindors," Draco sighed. "I mean you aren't exactly GOOD at Dark Arts are you? And with the new teacher coming."  
  
"Malfoy, we already have a teacher," she stated definitely. Professor Bune was a bit of a pushover considering his age. He had also been their Defense against the Dark Arts teacher last year. Professor Snape was always called in to take care of the hands on part of the class because Bune didn't believe it was good for his heart to follow such exercises they were required for. His age was nearly eighty four and everyone was putting bets the date of his death. Ron lost a good amount of his allowance last year.  
  
"And what a fine teacher he is!" Malfoy exclaimed, walking right ways again. "Don't kid yourself. Oh, you never hear anything do you? You're just a Muggle and no connections either. You really have no idea who the new teacher is?"  
  
Hermione was tired of hearing him talk. She stopped dead in her tracks and gave him her meanest scowl. "If you have something you want to say, just say it and stop talking like your information will tilt the earth's axis!"  
  
"Well, if you're going to act like that I don't think you need to know," Draco said, smirking. "Goodbye lonely little Gryffindor," Malfoy chirped. He waved his pale hand in her frowning face and turned around to join his mumbling friends.  
  
"The possibility of this day getting worse is slim to none," Hermione said. It was just hope talking. In Care of Magical Creatures, Hagrid was teaching them about Nougaunges. It wasn't as bad as Malfoy breathing down her neck or Seamus kicking her out of a blissful sleep but it was nearly as bad. The Nougaunge seemed to be a cross between a Lobalug and a Nogtail. It ravaged through its cage with a sputtering growl that would choke off after a few seconds and would start humming a tone-deaf tune. The sound of was nearly tragic. Ron tried petting its fur and it nearly took his hand off.  
  
"IT-TRIED-TO-KILL-ME!" Ron screamed. Lavender was rubbing his back but closing her eyes to block out Ron's hand that had looked torn apart. Harry and Ginny were smothering their laughter into their robes. Malfoy's Slytherin gang had stopped poking the Nougaunge with a stick and were all doubled over in laughter as well. Ron had never learned not to poke at the wildlife, though he has such bad luck with them.  
  
After Ron had been taken the hospital wing, Harry turned to Hermione with a look on his face that Hermione recognized all too well.  
  
"There's nothing wrong. Really, I'm just tired," she said, trying to stick a piece of grass in between the bars of the cage. Her tone wasn't very believable. She scanned the grounds to see if Seamus was listening but he was no where in sight.  
  
"Seamus told me about you sleeping on your books again."  
  
Hermione snorted. "Seamus says a lot of things these days."  
  
"What do you have against Seamus? He's always the sweetest to me," Ginny interjected. Harry nodded in agreement. "Maybe you two should spend a little time-ALONE," she said, emphasizing alone.  
  
Hermione had to nearly hold her hands to her mouth because being alone with Seamus was the last thing she wanted. It made her stomach churn. "I don't think I'm-ready to be alone with him," she said, looking around for something to do and brush them off.  
  
"Look," Harry said, his brows pressed together in anger, "if you're going to keep up this charade of constant study and no fun, I don't think you deserve to have a boyfriend yet. You should grow up. You're putting yourself first before anything!"  
  
Tears were brimming on her eyelids. They had believed all of his lies and weren't even giving her a chance. She felt like all the eyes in her class were boring down into her and her face turned scarlet. "Fine," she whispered to Harry. Her two fat tears slid quickly down her cheeks and splashed into her robes. "FINE! I will tell him tonight then and I'll try to grow up or be what you think is an 'acceptable girlfriend," she spat. Hermione hoisted bag over her shoulders and stormed off.  
  
"'Ermione!" Hagrid called, coming out of his hut with Seamus, who was carrying a box full of dragon hide gloves just in case someone else got their hands near the Nougaunge.  
  
"What's with her now?" Seamus asked, sighing to Harry.  
  
"She's being a bit melodramatic lately." Harry shrugged and turned back to the Nougaunge with a look of growing discomfort.  
  
**  
  
Hermione had gone back to the common room after storming out of Care of Magical Creatures. She hid up in the girls' dorm when everyone came in and even skipped out of a few classes. She couldn't cover up her blotchy red face and puffy eyes.  
  
It seemed like every year she was doing something to annoy Harry or Ron. Perhaps she should just get used to being without friends. The only thing she seems to provide them with is help on homework. The rest of her just seems trivial to the boys.  
  
She changed her robes and put a little powder under her eyes. As much as she didn't want to go to the Great Hall, in front of every house, her stomach was demanding at least one meal. She thought of going down to the kitchen but house elves fled in every direction when she stepped in there. Seeing that would depress her even more.  
  
And she had to finally just tell Seamus it was over.  
  
That made her stomach flip flop because Hermione didn't want him blowing up on her yet in the same sense she was getting rid of a heavy loud on her shoulders.  
  
When she came down from the dorm, the common room was empty except for her soon to be ex boyfriend sitting in a large puffy red chair. He was picking the dirt from his fingernails and staring into the blazing fire.  
  
"Seamus?"  
  
"Sit with me," Seamus said.  
  
She sat across from him instead. "I want to tell you something." Hermione's courage was building with each second passing. "I don't think I love you, or even like you-that way."  
  
He kept staring into the fire but his fingers were shaking now and he had to grip the arms of the chair. "So, you think you can just break up with me like that?" he snapped, not looking at her.  
  
"I had hoped so," Hermione whispered. He snorted. If she could've only seen the real color of his face over the dancing flames she would have been less brave. He was holding his breath and trying to retain his overbearing anger.  
  
He stood up and grabbed the nearest thing to him, which happened to be Hermione's copy of Raging Death Eaters and How to Spot them and threw it into the fire. Bits of burning log fell out onto the carpet but went out instantly. He got in her face and began to breathe heavily. Hermione held fast to where she was sitting and stared him down.  
  
"Get out before I take your head off," he growled. She didn't argue, knowing though he might not actually kill her-he would definitely try to hurt her. She pushed pasted him and crawled through the portrait and out of Gryffindor tower.  
  
After she had gotten herself together, she had felt better then she had in six months. A smile had finally breached her face for the first time today as she arrived in the Great Hall. No one took any notice when she sat at the end of the Gryffindor table and began picking up several chicken legs and piling them up on her plate. Even if they did notice her, and said something, nothing could knock down her good spirits.  
  
After her stomach was full and the plates had been cleared, Hermione was feeling very tired from the day of stress. She had almost gotten up when Dumbledore tapped his wand against his empty wine goblet.  
  
"Students of Hogwarts," he began. "As you all know, our current Defense against the Dark Arts teacher has been very ill for the past few weeks"- there were several snickers from the Slytherin table-"and he was to retire very last year but he had no one else for the job. He agreed to fill in until we could find a replacement and at long last, we have."  
  
Snape was looking even grumpier then usual as a tall man with hooded robes stood up. There was snow white hair tumbling out from his hooded face and Hermione's stomach jolted.  
  
"Professor Malfoy will be filling Professor Bune's place."  
  
The hall filled with a high amount of chatter but broke into applause after several seconds of surprise.  
  
Lucius pulled back his hood and bowed gracefully, his hair falling nearly to his feet when he hung his head. He took a seat next to Snape and smiled viciously. Hermione could hear people from her table whispering about Death Eaters. Hermione looked over at Draco whose smirk seemed to be painted on his face as he stared triumphantly at his look a like father.  
  
And when Hermione thought her day couldn't get any worse.  
  
**  
  
YAY! I finished the first chapter! It's always the hardest one to write for some reason. I hope everyone likes it. I'm pretty comfortable with it so far. Questions? Comments? R&R! 


	2. Detention

*wipes her brow* Sorry about the delay but I've had a busy week. Thanks to everyone who had reviewed ^-^ I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. I put a lot of time into it, especially today. In a few more chapters the romance will begin ^-^. Sorry for the snogging delay/action but I have big plans for this story so it will be worth the wait, I promise! *muwah!* I love you all! R&R!  
  
Chapter 2: Detention  
  
After everyone in the Great Hall had calmed down and were speaking in a more relaxed tone, the gossip began to spread like wild fire through out the large castle. Harry was sitting at nearly the front end of the long dark wooden table and had his robes hood over his head, his messy black locks sticking out the side. He was doing a terrible, drunken looking impression of Lucius. Ron followed suit soon after. Hermione couldn't actually hear what they were saying in unison though. Some second years closer to her were pointing at their left forearms and still muttering about "another Death Eater in Hogwarts." Others wore a face of absolute fear.  
  
Hermione was sitting alone, tapping her fingers against the table. She was highly annoyed that though the rest of the evening seemed a little brighter, fate seemed to always love putting up hurtles for the miserable girl. She shot a gaze towards the new Dark Arts professor with vengeful eyes. Lucius was looking around the Great Hall with a deep, sad look on his face but he glanced up at the ceiling and smiled. Hermione tilted her head in confusion. First arriving at Hogwarts, she had been entranced by the enchanted ceiling and how many of the times it had changed from a night sky, to a sunny morning, or a snowy evening; tonight, though it was a rainy night. She hadn't thought about it this particular night, until she had noticed her new professor looking enlightened by it. Lightening streaked silently across the magical sky and the rain pelted down, ending just above the torches that surrounded the hall like a protective shield.  
  
The satisfied grin that had disappeared when Lucius arrived had now reappeared ten fold on her face. Looking around at all of these chattering children, none of them nearly as bright as her or knowing the kind of feelings she felt, Hermione realized the height for which she was above all of these people. It wasn't by blood or maturity that she was better.but it was something else. It was something she couldn't exactly point her finger on. Looking at Lucius at that moment made her realize he had that too. It didn't make her stomach fill with butterflies or make her get all giggly. She didn't feel compelled to develop a crush on him. She felt a desire to talk to someone who could understand her point of view instead of clobber it with a club.  
  
Hermione would never ask him, though. She knew he would never even give her a kind word. She was Mudblood.  
  
She was knocked out of her melancholy thoughts by Dumbledore. He announced, with his tall navy blue wizard's hat tipped to one side, that everyone was allowed to return to their dormitories. Hermione hadn't brought anything to the Great Hall and swept out the large entrance doors before most of the Gryffindors had even stood up.  
  
She hurtled through the castle that was bright with candles and raced up the light gray stairs, nearly jumping three at a time with each launch. The searing pain in her legs shot into her left hip as she reached the top of the many flights and stood in front of the fat lady. She was breathing heavily with her eyes closed but they fluttered open when Hermione tried to breathe and say the password.  
  
"Re-dikku-las," she gasped, leaning over and holding her knees to catch a good breath.  
  
"Running up those stairs that fast certainly is," the fat lady mumbled as she the portrait swung open. Hermione wanted nothing more then to be alone and away from the arising voices that were coming up to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
She stole back into the girls' dormitory and gathered up all the snotty tissues she had left lingering this afternoon. Most of them were scattered on Ginny's multicolored afghan and Hermione didn't want her having a fit which would have added to the lecture she was going to get on leaving Seamus. A few Muggle fictions she had brought were also in a stack near the end of Ginny's canopy bed.  
  
With everything in arms and some tissues lofting from the side of Gulliver's Travels, Hermione fled from the girls' dorm and went back down the stairs. She could hear a few students shuffling through the portrait hole. She speed walked out of the entrance to the girls' dorm, past the boys' dorm and down a hall that was covered inch to inch in portraits. At the end of the hall was a large portrait of a white unicorn with its nostrils flared. Its horn was pointing directly to the starry sky as it reared its front legs. It was frothing and its breath came out in puffs of cloud against the cold night air.  
  
"Chudley Cannons," Hermione said quickly, looking her shoulder every few seconds. Harry had chosen that password for Ron so he would know it as well. The magical horse like creature looked at her for a brief second and whinnied softly. The picture merged itself into a little cul-de-sac in the wall and Hermione crawled through the slightly smaller then normal entrance.  
  
Being Head Girl definitely has its advantages when she wanted privacy. Harry had made Head Boy as she had expected and sharing a room with him didn't seem so bad. He was her best friend after all, though he wasn't being much of a friend now. It wasn't what she had expected at all. Harry was always sneaking Ginny in when he thought she was asleep. They would keep kissing for hours and their constant love smacks were too much for Hermione to handle. Yet, for some reason, she felt compelled not to say anything about it. It was Harry and Ginny after all. Why should she be upset at their happy relationship? That was the key word-happy. She didn't want anyone to be happy anymore.  
  
The room was very comfortable, with rose colored wallpaper from the floor to the extremely high ceiling. The frames of their beds were sleigh and one was oak wood and the other was a cherry wood instead of matching canopy beds in the dorms. The mattresses were both queen size instead of singles and had down filled golden comforters to cover them. The carpet was a thick wooly mass of burgundy. It nearly devoured ones feet when they would step in. Of course, there was also the blazing fireplace that was shaped like a U with a lion carved in the back.  
  
Hermione's bed was closest to the large bay window that had a good view of the lake. When she came into the room, she tossed her books in between the bed frame and the mattress and she began going through the small dresser beside her bed. She didn't even bother to light any of the candles. She got quickly into her red striped pajamas and snuggled into the warm bed. Hermione squeezed her eyes together with unnecessary strength when she heard the unicorn painting slid to the side.  
  
"Ok, I will come and get you later," Harry whispered. He turned away from the closing portrait and saw Hermione was already in bed. He sucked in a nervous breath. He swished his wand and all the white candles lit themselves. "Hermione?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"I am really sorry. I wish you wouldn't have broken up with Seamus but if that's what you think is best then I understand," he paused and waited for her to say something. He frowned slightly. "Hermione, come on, I seen you in the Great Hall, I know you aren't asleep."  
  
No answer.  
  
"Fine," Harry snapped. "If you want to be a big baby about it,  
then that's-JUST--FINE!"  
  
The candles dimmed again and hissed as they went out completely. The sound of the portrait sliding to the side once again called out Harry's departure from the room.  
  
Hermione's big brown eyes were wide and stared out the window. A smile was painted happily on her face. She was pleased with herself entirely. She curled up in a ball and hid her head under the covers. Instead of always crying and hoping they would forgive her, she would be her own company. She felt like she was just a worm today but in the morning, she would've went though a metamorphosis and become what she'd always wanted to be.  
  
With such happy thoughts, Hermione's much needed sleep took her away.  
  
**  
  
The next few days that were to pass, passed very smoothly for the bushy haired seventh year. She had severed her ties with the Gryffindors by always sitting as far away from them as possible and even sitting with Luna Lovegood at the Ravenclaw table at dinner. Harry had obviously told Ron and Ginny about her ignoring him the other night because none of them had even tried talking to her. Ginny hadn't even said anything to her about Seamus.  
  
Hermione found herself less and less worried about what they might be up to. She would sit in her private dorm and constantly study or read fiction when the mood was right. In class she didn't try answering every question or helping her classmates like before. She had completely drawn into herself. Hagrid tried talking to her but she just smiled happily at him and kept walking down the hall, her eyes fixed on the air in front of her. The overgrown man could only stare at her in confusion.  
  
Today was a little different though as she stood in front of the large Defense against the Dark Arts door. The sign seemed freshly painted with green and silver letters.  
  
Hermione pulled her hair up in a messy bun and stuck a quill in the side of it. Dropping her bag, she dug through it and pulled out her books and parchment for the class with shaky hands. Hermione remembered all of the run-ins she'd had with Lucius and none of them were pleasant. She couldn't imagine this one being any better. Hermione doubted he would be in such a good mood having Gryffindors in his class anyway.  
  
Hoisting her book back over her shoulder and taking the quill out of her puffy hair, she pushed the door open.  
  
There were plenty of Slytherins already in their seats and writing something on their parchment. A few Gryffindors were as far away from the Slytherins as they could be, wiping dust from the top of their table and sneezing. The room was the same as it always was. Hermione didn't suspect Lucius would have the time to make the room his own yet. The floor was still covered in a thin blanket of dust and dirt. The cabinets that outlined the entire room were crawling with little furry dust bunnies that liked to dirty the classroom with soot when no one was looking. The glass display cases with so caked with grime, no one knew what it was displaying.  
  
She didn't see the professor anywhere. Hermione hoped she wasn't too early- or worse-too late.  
  
"Miss Granger," a deep voice purred behind her. Lucius was coming out of a closet in the back of the classroom. He was wearing beautiful onyx robes (they were covered with dust as well) with blood red stones that clasped all the way down his front. Half of his long white hair that fell to his knees was pulled back in a ruby snake pendant that wrapped itself tight around the silvery locks; the other half hung down to cloak his gray eyes. He was looking at Hermione with a disgusting look on his face.  
  
"Lu.Professor Malfoy," she finished with extreme trouble. She really didn't want to show any courtesy to him but she didn't want to get into too much trouble with him either. Her knees were almost knocking under the Hogwarts robes.  
  
"You will sit up front where I can keep an eye on you. I won't be sitting you with your friends this year," he stated, brushing the dust from one shoulder.  
  
"I don't have friends," she whispered, looking down.  
  
Lucius looked at her with suspicious eyes. "Pity.I wonder why?" he said with a wide grin. "Up front, Miss Granger," he ordered with his index finger pointing in the right direction.  
  
The rest of the students piled in shortly after and he oddly assigned seats for everyone-even the Slytherins. They were all near enough to each though without the Gryffindors getting too much social time as well. Harry sat up front with Hermione but he was clear on the other side, in front of Lucius's desk.  
  
Draco came in last, followed by his two bumbling bodyguards and a long legged Pansy clinging to his arm. He took a seat in the middle row, along with all of his friends. Lucius didn't pay any attention to them.  
  
The new professor seemed alright as the class started. He assigned a chapter out of Vampire Hunting: The Modern Ways for the class to read and sat at his desk, scribbling things into a ledger. It was boring for Hermione since she had already read over it a few times already and found it was a nearly the same in modern vampire hunting as it is in the older ways.  
  
"Now that you've read your chapters," he shot an evil glance at Lavender who was mouthing something to Ron from the top row and obviously had better things to worry about then reading her book, "I suppose you'll be ready for a little question and answer session. The house to answer the most right gets the least amount of homework." His eyes were twinkling with amusement. The professor began walking up and down the aisles. Hermione could almost hear the gasps from most of her house members and she could feel their eyes on her. She didn't look back at them.  
  
"Where was the first vampire found at in 345 B.C.?"  
  
No ones hand went up. Lucius passed Hermione, "Not going to answer that, Mudblood?" he whispered in her earshot only.  
  
Hermione's face went from pale to red in seconds and she raised her hand defiantly at him but he had turned his back on her and was surveying Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. They were flipping through their books. Draco raised his hand, locking eyes with Hermione and smiled. Lucius turned around and looked at Hermione with her hand raised as well. He snorted with laughter.  
  
The professor called on Draco.  
  
"Romania," the younger version of Lucius said.  
  
"Correct. Ten points for Slytherin. Now, what's the spell a hunter would use to stun a full powered vampire?"  
  
Once again Hermione raised her hand, this time with more enthusiasm.  
  
"Pansy Parkinson," Professor Malfoy called.  
  
"Exindestro," she cooed, batting her eyes at Lucius. It sounded more like a pickup line then an answer.  
  
"Correct. Another ten points for Slytherin," he said. His cool gray eyes flashed at Hermione. He was really enjoying this. "What is the only way to become a vampire yourself?"  
  
Hermione hadn't even bothered putting her hand down from the last question and was staring at the chuckling Slytherins with glass shards shooting from her eyes.  
  
"Millicent Bulstrode," he called.  
  
"From the blood in a vampire's heart," the husky seventh year Slytherin said. She shook her fist at Hermione.  
  
"Well, Well, Well, Slytherin has three in a row. I think I will award you with fifteen points, Miss Bulstrode," Lucius said snidely, "and I will assign three rolls of parchment to Gryffindor on the uprising of the vampires in the Bloody Ages and what spells in the modern ages would have helped stop it. Slytherin only has to have one roll turned in. Also, ten points from Gryffindor for no one reading their chapter as instructed."  
  
Hermione stood up instantly. Her anger was bubbling over and her face was the color of a radish. She wasn't mad about losing points or even the ungodly amount of homework she would have to have (not that she was complaining, it WOULD keep her busy) but she wasn't going to let him include her into the mass of idiots. She knew all of those questions and though she didn't read the chapter in his presence she HAD read it. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" she snapped.  
  
Lucius was in her face in less then five seconds. "I can't do what exactly, Miss Granger?" he said with a cool, yet threatening voice.  
  
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the two that were nose to nose.  
  
"You can't favor a house like that," she said, with a less brave sound in her attempt to defy him.  
  
He stepped back. "I can do as I please. When you step into this room, you are stepping into my domain and you WILL DO AS I SAY," he growled, making Hermione plop back into her seat with a terrified look on her face. His eyes seemed to say everything he wanted to say to her. "You will have detention tonight in my office and without going to the Great Hall for dinner. Also, another fifty points from Gryffindor. Everyone thank your Head Girl, Hermione Granger for putting your house in dead last."  
  
**  
  
The rest of the day was no different from the past few days except for ignoring her, people were now hissing and saying rude things to her as well when she passed by. Hermione wasn't even allowed in the common room to study. She was furious by the time dinner was ready to be served and what was worse, her stomach was screaming for food that she wouldn't be having tonight. That added to her annoyed attitude.  
  
So there she was, in the damp dungeons of Hogwarts for the second time today and back in front of the Defense against the Dark Arts door. She was terrified at being alone with a Death Eater. Would he want to perform the Unforgivable Curses on her? No, that was totally illegal. Surely he wouldn't risk his freedom to torture one student.  
  
"Yeah, a Mudblood student," Hermione groaned to herself. She went to open the door but Lucius had already made it there and opened it for her.  
  
"Well, well, I see you have made it at last. Good. Get these on," he tossed her old Slytherin robes and ushered her quickly in so he could shut the door. "Now, I have assignments to look over. I had Filch bring a ladder, so you can start on the cabinets on the left side of the room. Those dust bunnies are causing quite a stirrup in the classroom when I'm away."  
  
Hermione surveyed the room in disbelief. There was no way one person could do all of that alone. "You can't be serious," she said before she could think.  
  
"Tell me, Mudblood, why aren't I serious?" he said with a hint of amusement.  
  
"You can't expect me to get anything done alone. Those dust bunnies will follow right behind me and dirty up what I already worked on! You are mad, Lucius!" she said quickly.  
  
Hermione felt a foot smaller when he stood next to her and glowered at her like she was a bad little child. "Then perhaps a week worth of dinnerless detentions will change your mind about doing my bidding and disrespecting your professor? I will give it to you if you aren't careful, young la-wo- whatever you are. You will address me as Professor Malfoy, you filthy Mudblood, and nothing else. You do not deserve to say my name. Now," he snapped, "what do you say?"  
  
"Sorry." Hermione said through her teeth, ".Professor Malfoy."  
  
"Correct. Too bad I don't give out points to Muggles. Your cleaning supplies are at the bottom of the ladder. Get out of my sight," he said, turning around and sitting at his desk. He ignored her from that minute on.  
  
Hermione did as she was told. There was a rusty bucket and a scrubbing brush leaning against a large but old ladder that looked like it wouldn't hold a feather for more then five minutes. She filled up the bucket in the backroom and changed into the Slytherin robes that were far too big on her. Hermione thanked her lucky stars there weren't any holes in the bucket and the ladder was stronger then it looked.  
  
The cabinets were worse then Hermione had thought. Every inch of the wood inside was covered in light gray soot. When she stuck the rag in there, little dust bunnies scattered everywhere and hid inside the cracks of the wall. After cleaning out a big spot, Hermione crawled up into the cabinet. She would be damned if they were going to come out and she began scrubbing the walls as well.  
  
"I didn't think you were coming," she heard her professor bellow in an unpleased tone. She poked her head outside of the cabinet to see another light-haired, pale-faced Malfoy carrying two plates of mouth watering lamb and potatoes and a flask of pumpkin juice. Hermione's stomach howled in hunger.  
  
"Mudblood," Draco called. "Stop drooling and get down here."  
  
Despite her hunger pains, she continued scrubbing inside the cabinets. She wouldn't succumb to their taunts and having both of those men insulting her at once was more then she could handle.  
  
"Hey, didn't you hear me, you stupid, nasty Mudblood?" Draco taunted, now underneath her, hitting the bottom of the cabinets with a broom stick. "Don't act like you can't hear me, filth. What are you doing? Reading a book on how not to be walked all over everyday? Nothing in reading can help you there. You're always naturally being walked on because you're a Muggle.a Mudblood. You should be ashamed to even be in Hogwarts."  
  
Lucius chuckled. "Son, leave her be. If she wants to starve, then she shall. Let's eat this disgusting muck they call food before it chills."  
  
Draco shrugged and began walk over. Hermione, filled with anger, poured the dirty bucket of soot water onto the top of his head, leaving his silvery locks a dark gray with black flecks in it.  
  
"YOU BITCH!" Draco screamed. His eyes were wide with disgust. Black thick ooze slide down the front of his face and onto his robes.  
  
His father roared with laughter. It scared Hermione to hear him laugh like that but she joined in quietly. "Get out of here, Draco. Clean up and get to bed. You're a mess."  
  
Draco stared defiantly at Lucius then up at Hermione. "I'll get you, Granger. You better watch yourself," he warned before he stormed off. Hermione had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggles.  
  
"Miss Granger, as I told you before, if you weren't careful you would get a weeks worth of detentions so you better be at my door every evening at the same time with your mind set on cleaning my entire room. I was so afraid I would have to do this myself. It looks like Mudbloods are good for something," Lucius quipped, looking up at Hermione's crestfallen face. 


	3. The M Word

Alrighty! YAY! Another chapter and it didn't take me as long! I would like to take a few extra words and comment to people who reviewed this so far.cause you're all wonderful!  
  
hermie4sev: I can't stand not finishing a fan fiction. Don't worry.this story will always be updated frequently.  
  
marina6: Lucius is Lucius, but he's not stark raving insane in my story either as you will be able to tell at the end of the chapter! ^-^  
  
Kngtzgrl: Thanks for being the first person to review.it helped me along very much! I wub support!  
  
IzzyMalfoy: Talk about my story being good.YOURS IS KICK ASS! I'm not totally finished with it cause I've been busy writing mine but after this I'm going to finish it and review it! I'm just totally entranced by your writing ability. HERMIONE AND LUCIUS FOREVER!  
  
Draco-Malfoy-Severus-Luva: The Hr/L loving will start next chapter ^-^ thanks for your patients!!!  
  
Chapter 3: The "M" Word  
  
The end of the next day came quicker then Hermione thought, even for having a double period of Potions class. Neville Longbottom had nearly burnt down the entire room when mixing baglabassies into a caldron full of snang mucus. A flame nearly five feet long erupted and showered on the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws; everyone took shelter under their desks. Several Ravenclaw students had to be taken to the infirmary for minor burns.  
  
When class was dismissed by a very upset looking Professor Snape, Hermione pulled the dirty Slytherin robes out of her knapsack and headed for the girls bathroom. She didn't want to have to even converse with Lucius. She just wanted to get the week over with. Hermione prayed Draco wouldn't be in there this evening.  
  
"Hermione!" Ron shouted from the other end of the hall near the Potions class. "Hey, don't walk so fast, woman!"  
  
"Come to lecture me on losing fifty points for our house yesterday?" she snapped, walking faster. Ron had to jog to keep up with her.  
  
"I just wanted to say, if you need to talk to someone, you don't have to forget about me. Harry is pretty mad at you-"  
  
"Yeah well he has no reason to be! Seamus is such a liar!" Hermione interjected.  
  
"-but I'm not. I don't care if you broke up with Seamus and-well our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher isn't exactly friendly. I can't believe he gave you detention for that. I mean, I figured you would get detention but it wasn't fair. You just told it like it is."  
  
"Yeah, well, now, I have a weeks worth of detentions for dumping my muddy wash water on Draco's annoyingly perfect hair."  
  
"YOU DID WHAT?" Ron exclaimed, clutching his stomach in laughter. "I wish I could have seen his face!" The Weasley laughed even harder at the thought of Malfoy's face covered in dirty water. Hermione slowed down her steps and smiled, nearly laughing. It HAD been funny but she hadn't had anyone to laugh about it with.  
  
"He didn't mention THAT in History of Magic today," Ron said.  
  
"RONALD! There you are! You just darted off after class and I couldn't find you," Lavender said, looking from him to Hermione and her worried face turned into a disgusted one. "Hello, Hermione-let's get out of here, Ronny," she cooed, stepping in between the two friends. She took his hand and dragged him away.  
  
Ron gave a sad wave. "I'll see you in the Great Hall at dinner, right?" he called.  
  
"Detention," Hermione called back. She heard Lavender give an obvious snort. Hermione wanted to retort but she only sighed instead. It wouldn't be any use arguing with that girl. She was so dense, Hermione didn't know how a brain fit inside her tiny head and it would be a complete waste to get all worked up.  
  
Hermione had been surprised Ron asked her about dinner. The thought of having food sometime other then breakfast made her stomach realized once again that it was time to eat. "Why can't I just eat first then go to detention?" she thought out loud to herself as she pushed open the girls bathroom door and sat down on the closed seat of a stall that had paint flakes scattered on the floor. She pulled off her nice hushpuppies and stuffed her bobby socks in them.  
  
This was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom but it was so quiet in there for once. She came here to get her privacy. She pulled the Gryffindor robes over her head and wiggled out of her knee high skirt. She hung them up on a hook above the commode. The fresh blast of cold air on Hermione's light skin gave her goose bumps from head to foot but it was also relieving. She sat on the toilet seat again and sighed, closing her eyes. The stress from several days seemed to leak out of her bare toes. In no other bathroom would she feel so comfortable lounging in her under clothes.  
  
Just then, though, the door to the bathroom creaked open and someone stepped in. They didn't walk around but just stood there, surveying, and Hermione knew they were looking for her. She reached for the robes on the hook but the intruder kicked the door, making her jump and she dropped them. It didn't break but the wood the hinges were attached to made a crunching sound and nearly gave way. Hermione yelped helplessly and tried, without success, to pull the robes over her head for a second time. The person kicked the weak door agaom and it hung on by one hinge at the bottom but swung open even so.  
  
Draco stood in front of her. He wasn't smiling as if this were a game.  
  
"You embarrassed me in front of my father," he said promptly. He took one large step forward and wrapped his strong hand around her neck. Hermione dropped the robes she had been clutching to her chest and she pulled at his wrist but it was no good. Draco squeezed harder the more she wriggled. "Don't fight me and I won't snap your little neck."  
  
Hermione squirmed a few more times and grunted with a few sputtering coughs; she fell silent when nothing seemed to work. Draco used his free hand to run it up and down her stomach, torso and legs. He breathed heavy against her neck and nibbled on her earlobe. Hermione was cringing with discomfort and she began to fight even harder then before but he quickly slapped her and shut her up. Big fat tears began to stream down her face as he unhooked her bra and tossed it over to the other stall.  
  
"I bet Potter and Weasley have seen you plenty of times. I'd say I've been close enough to you for long enough to deserve a little of this," he cooed, but in a mad sort of tone. He cupped her breast in his hand and kneaded her nipple between his index and middle finger.  
  
"Hermione, what's the meaning of-," Myrtle said, floating above the stall and holding a bra on the tip of her pointer finger as if it had a disease but she stopped dead with wide eyes when she viewed the scene.  
  
"BOY IN MY BATHROOM," She wailed with a mega phoned voice, "ATTACKING A STUDENT!"  
  
"Damn it," Draco growled, stepped away from Hermione. He glared at her briefly and, in a sound of fluttering robes, he darted off. The bathroom door closed with a deafening thud.  
  
Myrtle floated slowly down to Hermione, who was standing against the wall, shivering but trying hard to stifle her tears. The ghostly girl, with a sad face, handed her the bra that was tossed over into her stall and Hermione tried to put it on without shaking too terribly bad. She pulled the old Slytherin robes on without much thought and put her shoes back on without the socks.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" a deep voice boomed. Lucius! No, she groaned to herself, he can't possibly be the one in here. It was, though. He pushed the broken stall door to the side and looked down at her from his towering height. "You should have been in my class nearly twenty minutes ago. Why are you crying?"  
  
"You're the new teacher," Myrtle pointed out, staring at him with a glint of interest. "You're the Malfoy professor."  
  
"I am," he said, not looking at her.  
  
"Your son did this! I saw him!"  
  
"My son? I saw him fleeing from here. He didn't say anything to me, though." He thought for a moment. "Out of here, ghost, I can handle it."  
  
She put her hands on her invisible hips. "This is MY bathroom, high and mighty Malfoy so you and the girl leave!"  
  
"Fine. Can you walk, girl?" Lucius asked Hermione. She looked up at him and two tears slid down both cheeks. He sighed and large mass of hair fell over his narrowed eyes. "I will carry you, if I must," he said. He was trying to keep his professor like demeanor but she looked so upset, he couldn't help but scoop her up without any argument and cradled her in his arms. She flinched when he touched her but she allowed him none-the-less. He draped her clothes over her lap and turned back to Moaning Myrtle who had been eying them with a mischievous smile on her face. "You don't mention this to anyone. I won't have the whole school knowing my son desires.her."  
  
Myrtle giggled and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think that's what you have to worry about but.ok. Who comes and sees poor, annoying Myrtle anyhow?"  
  
**  
  
The teachers' rooms didn't get as much attention and detail as the head students room. There was a single bed with a dark oak headboard and footboard that was detailed with the Hogwarts emblem. There was a small night stand beside the bed and they both matched. The floors were wooden and had been worn down from several years of serving several different Defense against the Dark Arts professors. There were two windows in Lucius's room; one overlooked the classroom and another tiny one looked out into the Forbidden Forest though there were thick black curtains draped over it so no light peaked through. In the corner at the back of the room was a large desk that held rows and stacks of papers and a few quills scattered here and there.  
  
Lucius laid her down on the unmade bed and propped her head up with a pillow. He flicked his wand once and an empty coffee cup soared to him. He flicked his wand again and it began steaming with hot chocolate. He handed it to her with a grunt and a frown.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered, not knowing if she should look him in the eyes or not. She didn't have much time to worry about it as he turned his back to her and pulled his clean burgundy robes over his head. Hermione glanced only for a second at his rippling back but it made her face feel hotter then the drink she was given.  
  
He pulled out a set of robes that were a fading gray but possibly could've been black in its better days. They were torn at both shoulders and the seams on the sleeves were fraying. He turned around as he buttoned it up to the neck. "I suppose we won't get as much done as I would have liked, but we will if I participate. Don't think you will get my help like this everyday," he included.  
  
"Yes, professor," Hermione said. She hesitated on what she would say next. "Professor."  
  
Lucius held up his hand. "Don't say it. You will forget that even happened and if you don't," he raised his eyebrows and emphasized his next words, "you-will-regret-it. I'm not doing this for my son, but for my sake. I don't want to deal with questions that need not be worried about. You're fine, are you not?"  
  
"That isn't fair, Professor! He attacked me! What if he does it again?"  
  
"Well, then, you should learn to be on your guard more often. You can't be so weak and dependant on other people to protect you. To survive, you must be your own defense. No one else is in charge of you but you. Now, get up," he growled. "We're going to move all of the tables from their rows and scrub the floors. I will move the tables and you can scrub the floors."  
  
"You sound like you have the easy job," Hermione muttered, sitting up and finishing her hot chocolate.  
  
"You are lucky you're getting my help at all," snapped Lucius, but there was a faint smile on his face.  
  
Hermione was right on Lucius getting the better job. He was allowed to use his wand, for one thing, and he simply levitated the tables, one on top of the other, while Hermione was stuck on her hands and knees with a wash rag. There were decades of grime caked to the floor but under all the dirtiness was a beautiful design of mauve and a pastel green ribbons being flown around by tiny little birds that could fit in the palm of Hermione's hand.  
  
"Professor, why are you putting so much into cleaning this room? No one has done it in years. I can tell it's not just a punishment because you said you would have to do it yourself if I hadn't gotten in trouble."  
  
"Why are you talking, Miss Granger? Shouldn't you be cleaning, like I asked? This isn't a gossip circle," Lucius said, not looking up from his grading.  
  
"I can clean and talk at the same time, so it won't hurt if you answer one question," Hermione said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh, dear.clean and talk? Aren't you the talented Muggle? One question will turn into several and I don't intend on starting a friendly conversation with a Mudblood at this moment so shut your trap and continue your detention," he said with finality in his voice.  
  
The door nearest to Hermione creaked and Lucius's son walked in. "Father, I.," Draco started to say but he seen Hermione and looked wholly surprised. Hermione's heart was hammering in her chest. "You're here, I see. Continue with your cleaning, Mudblood."  
  
Hermione stood up and threw down her rag. "You better apologize to me, Malfoy," she said.  
  
Draco smirked and folded his arms. "Why should apologize to you, Granger? I can't excuse the mistake that you were born anymore then you can."  
  
"You will apologize to me for what you pulled in the girls' bathroom!" Hermione was beginning to lose her formality with the pale faced assailant.  
  
He raised his nose in the air. "I don't know what you're talking about. I know you lost all of you friends but accusing me of something to get attention is no way to go about things," he said, with honey dripping from his voice.  
  
"YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" she suddenly screamed.  
  
"Father, this girl is insane. I would think another twenty points from Gryffindor would be prudent, if I may say so."  
  
Lucius opened his mouth to speak but chose not to. He looked at Hermione with taunting eyes and nodded. Like a rabid dog let out of it's pen, Hermione dove for Draco before he could pull out his wand and connected her fist directly with his nose; then on the side of his eye. Draco gave her an uppercut in the stomach and she buckled over, spraying spittle. She had lost her breath for a fraction of a second but only for a second and after that she was seeing red but he had thrown himself on top of her and had started choking her. She thought quickly, for she didn't need anyone else's help. She COULD protect herself. She pulled her knee up and got his groin. He doubled over on the floor and Hermione rolled on top of him. After three punches Hermione stopped and clutched her fist that was cut and bleeding. Blood seeped from Draco's nose and lip. One of his eyes was half closed. Best of all, for Hermione, was that Draco's nice hair was now looking like a straw heap.  
  
Lucius stood up and strode over to them. "Get off of him, girl, get off." He pulled Draco up by the collar of his robes and sneered at him. "You've been knocked out by a Muggle-a girl no less. What kind of man do you claim to be? From now on, you are not allowed to visit this classroom when Miss Granger is here or I will see to it you have detention every evening at this time with Snape-or Mcgonagall." He flicked his wand and Draco's wounds healed themselves quickly but they were still slightly visible. "I'm no healer. Go up to the infirmary. I don't care what you tell her happened but if you somehow try to blame this on me or Miss Granger I will see to it the Slytherins don't get the kind of treatment you would so desire in my class."  
  
Draco, who was still being held by his collar, nodded but was blatantly scowling at his father. "She's a Mudblood," he sneered, "and you're taking up for her."  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, she IS a Mudblood but she is quite different from any Mudblood I've ever encountered. I would suggest you leave her alone so she may get her education. That should be the only thing on your mind in any case, Draco. Now, leave, before I throw you out myself," he growled, letting go of his sons robes.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione muttered, watching Draco leave. She bent down again to whip the blood from the floor.  
  
"Do not thank me, Miss Granger. You stood up for yourself, which was a surprise to me. Continue this and could make a fine young Mudblood someday," he said with a playful grin on his face.  
  
"Hardy-har," Hermione said sarcastically as she scrubbed. "You must've been a comedian in a past life."  
  
"It could be. After you finish with that you may eat a couple pieces of pork chop and bread I had left from my dinner and then you may be excused. I'm going into my office to get some rest. You children are too much to handle these days. With that in mind, do not forget to see Madam Pomfrey before you go up to you common room. Farewell, Miss Granger."  
  
"Goodnight, Professor." Hermione smiled up at him with her shiny new black eye. He didn't smile back but she knew he was pleased nonetheless.  
  
**  
  
Lucius stepped into his office and his face broke into a smile. He even chuckled a little bit to himself. She had been something else. He pulled the old dusty robes off and fell into his bed.  
  
His sheets were still clinging to Hermione's soft baby powder smell and Lucius inhaled deeply without thinking. Something inside him stirred and he sat up quickly. He peeked through the small window that looked out to his classroom. Hermione was lying on her side, eating greedily at his left over dinner.  
  
The thing inside him stirred again and his flesh was covered in little bumps.  
  
Interesting little creature, this Hermione Granger was. 


	4. Closet Case

anna70: Thanks for encouraging words *sarcasm* Make up your mind.  
  
Apollonia2: Does Draco Malfoy ever give up on what he wants? I think not ^- ^  
  
SicDreamsInc: You're an inspiration beyond all others and I couldn't thank you more for the all encouraging words you've given me through this whole story. You're just as amazing and your stories reach far beyond any compliment I can think of.  
  
Well, here's the lovey dovey chapter!!! Enjoy.it won't last long hehe  
  
Chapter 4: Closet Case  
  
In the morning, Hermione stuffed her face full of eggs, biscuits, and banana pancakes. Her appetite was very ferocious, though she did eat a little of Lucius's food, it didn't satisfy her demanding stomach. A tired feeling was shrouded over her as well as she headed for class. She had other classes aside from her detention and she was hardly getting any sleep. By the time she got back to her dorm it was nearly midnight and she would spend the remainder of the night--save for the two hours she gets to sleep-studying and doing homework.  
  
Aside from heading towards another tiring day with Lucius, she was feeling just smashing. Every time she thought of the punches she let out on Draco, she smiled ear to ear. The grin kept even when she walked back into the Defense against the Dark Arts room for another detention. Hermione felt like she would have a much better time in the dirty class room. Lucius had actually-in his own little way-complimented her. It had made Hermione flop on her bed later on that night with a large sigh. She caught herself looking at her reflection in the mirror and admiring the glow in her smile. She actually wanted to do thing that pleased him, because the looks he gave her after mauling his own son was priceless.  
  
She pushed open the door with ear splitting grin. Lucius was sitting at his desk with his feet nicely propped up on a mahogany foot stool. His head was hidden by a large dictionary sized book that read The Outs and Ins of Deadly Jinxes. His thick, white-blond hair was wrapped around his arms and some even lay across the desk. Lucius was turning a piece of the silvery hairs through his long, large fingers. He looked like some royal king.  
  
"Good evening, Professor," Hermione said, setting her bag down near the door.  
  
He looked over the book. "You seem extremely excited about cleaning today, Miss Granger."  
  
"Not entirely," she said.  
  
Lucius smirked and sat the book down. "Well, you shouldn't be. All the beakers and vials need cleaned next and I won't settle for any spots on them."  
  
Hermione's smile melted away into a scowl. "You know, Professor, if I was to use my wand, this room could get much cleaner, much faster."  
  
"Then, that would kill any lesson I'm trying to teach you. Hard work makes the weak person stronger, Miss Granger. Tomorrow will be even worse. The display cases are waiting for you," he said, putting the book back in front of him and pushed his blanket of hair away from his arms. It all fell on the floor Hermione had spent nearly all night cleaning.  
  
"I have a question, sir."  
  
"Out with it then," he said, not looking over his book. "Though I cannot guarantee I will answer it."  
  
She had meant to ask a certain question; she was determined to ask it before she walked in the room, but at the last moment her audacity failed her. ".Would you like me to fix your hair?" It was the only thing she could think of in a split second of decision.  
  
He set the book down completely and glared at her. "What are you saying? There's absolutely nothing wrong with my hair."  
  
Hermione ran her fingers through her own bushy mess. Her heart was increasing its rate. "It's just so lengthy; I could fix it for you. It.it just always seems to be your face and frustrating you."  
  
"Since when do I need to be concerned of what a Muggle thinks of my hair? You need to just fret about your own-obviously. I can handle myself just fine, you imprudent girl. Now please stop aggravating me and get to work."  
  
Hermione felt the heat of her own embarrassment rise into her cheeks. She found herself, for the first time, being jumbled and not finding the right words. Lucius's holier-then-thou attitude was rather foreboding but she had handled Draco just fine and he seemed worse then her professor. It wasn't that she LIKED her professor! It was something else.  
  
She turned to head towards two shelves that held what seemed like a mile long shelf that was above the cabinets; she had cleaned two days before--of vials and beakers covered inside and out in dust. She picked one up and blew fiercely at it, causing large dust specks to tickle her nose. She sneezed three consecutive times and dropped the glass vial which shattered into thousands of pieces.  
  
Her eyes shut tightly together to avoid the dust that was clouded around her head. She took one foolish step forward and a large shard of glass impaled her left foot. The pain clouded her mind and she stumbled backwards, landing roughly onto the solid floor.  
  
"Now, what in the.," Lucius started but as he seen his student collapsed on the ground holding her bleeding foot, he stood up briskly, knocking the large and heavy chair over. "What have you done you idiotic girl? Nearly everyday you've been here, you've injured yourself!"  
  
Hermione was staring at her red foot with wide, watery eyes. A large slice of glass was jutting from the sole of her foot. She began whimpering, trying to swallow the feeling to scream. Salty tears streaked across her blushed cheeks. "G-g-get it out, Lucius," Hermione stuttered, covering her face with her hands. She didn't care about formalities. The throbbing pain in her foot was growing up her calf.  
  
Sweat beads began to pop up on Lucius's forehead as he kneeled down and surveyed her injury. The glass shard was nearly halfway gouged in her flesh. Hermione's excruciating whimpers made it even less easy to handle. He pulled gently on the glass at first but the girl's yelps of agony caused him to jerk away quickly and get cold chills.  
  
"Ju.just please pull it out quickly," Hermione whimpered, her legs shaking worse then leaves on a windy day.  
  
Lucius hesitated. He really didn't want to hurt her but.'Oh, come on, Lucius, she's just some soiled Mudblood, just pull it out and get her back to work.' Lucius nodded to himself and got a decent grip on the blood slicked glass and pulled it smoothly out. Hermione let out a howl of anguish.  
  
"Now, get back to work," he demanded, not looking at her hurtful face. "And, as I said before, you will NOT call me by my first name. You are a student and I'm your professor. We aren't on a first name basis, nor shall we ever be."  
  
But when his cold gray eyes saw her laying on the floor like some poor petrified ghost; as much as he wanted to let her bleed there on the floor with no one to help her, something inside of him-it was that same stirring that he found came from the very pit of his stomach-made him pity her. Her Gryffindor colored skirt was riding up high on her thigh; Lucius quickly looked away, propping her up again the wall. He grimaced as he stared at his blood stained hands. It was the dirty blood smearing his hands palms. He stared at it for several minutes. Lucius didn't know if he was supposed to be ashamed of this kind of impure blood touching his skin- and it was strange because he felt no disgust for it being there. He felt only guilt.  
  
"I suppose, once again, that you cannot walk," Lucius said, looking disapproving at the quivering girl.  
  
Much to his surprise, Hermione stood up-wincing a bit, but still standing-and spoke: "Where is the broom, Professor," she asked tonelessly. "I will clean up my mistake." She wasn't going to let him get to her although blood was flowing from the bottom of her foot and she felt, at any moment, that she would collapse.  
  
The tall, stern face looked at Hermione and his features seemed to change from annoyed to amuse in minutes while he thought. He sat down on one of the desk chairs and ripped a large piece of his robe off. It was made of silk and must have been very expensive but he acted as if it were nothing as he bandaged her foot. Her tears dried up quickly as she watched him wrap her foot so gently, as if he didn't want her to be having anymore pain. He looked very gentle and.unlike the Malfoy Senior she had always known.  
  
He then picked her up and lofted her over his shoulder and sat her on a chair next to his desk. Lucius sat to the left of her and sliced pieces of roast beef with a sharp steak knife. He flicked his wand and a plate appeared. He handed Hermione the plate that held a slice of his roast beef and a homemade piece of bread. "I expect you have got to be hungry. I admit I have been famishing you lately and I don't see why, in the position you're in, that you don't have a little something to eat.but remember, Miss Granger, after you consume what I give you, you will work as I instructed or you will get more then detention, I assure you. And tonight you can stay until 1 a.m. instead of 11 p.m. You're just not showing the kind of head student behavior we would expect."  
  
There Hermione was, bleeding and exhausted, and he wasn't cutting her any slack. He was making her do even more work! Her rage overcame the pain in her lower leg. "Professor this IS NOT FAIR! You have no right! You are so completely RUDE!"  
  
Lucius smiled, his beautiful eyes glinted under his silver hair. "I'm not going to lie," he said with a seductive tone, "I'll not be a gentleman. I was raised to be a conqueror over anything, wizard, or other wise. Because you stood up to my son that day had nothing to do with the fact that you are a.," his heart tugged violently to say it-for the first time this guilt ripped him apart, ".a worthless Mudblood."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean, anyway?" she challenged, slamming the plate down. "Mudblood is such a common word with you, isn't it, but as you can plainly see my blood flows the same as yours, the very same color as yours!"  
  
Lucius shot up from his desk and slammed his massive fist on the table, making Hermione jump and papers scatter. A vain in his temple was throbbing. He stared at her but couldn't find any words to explain. Her truthful eyes stared back at him, triumphant. "Why are you still sitting here? Get up to the infirmary. I don't want you in my sight," he sneered, pointing towards the door. "And, I swear to you, girl, if this room isn't satisfactory by the time this week is over, there will be severe punishment."  
  
Hermione just sat on the other side of the desk, her chin propped up her in palm, smiling cordially at him.  
  
"I SAID GO!" he roared, his pointer finger shaking with rage. His student continued to stare at him with a smile, ignoring the blood that was now leaking from her bandages. Hermione began to rip strips of beef and slurp it into her mouth, chewing loudly as she stared into Lucius's eyes.  
  
The pale man sat back down in his seat and clutched the arms of the chair, looking at his desk and taking deep breaths. "I, in any of my days, have never met such an uncivilized student! I could take another fifty points from Gryffindor--if I chose to--making you dead last!"  
  
Although her pain made her insides recoil, she stood up and hobbled over to the furious Malfoy. His eyes glanced at her for a second but he looked back at the desk in noncompliance. Hermione stood beside him, pity running through her. She put a hand on his smooth face and, though he wanted to, he did not move away; he only sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Get out of here," he said in a guttural voice.  
  
Hermione nodded and forced herself, with gritting teeth, to the health wing, leaving only the door closing reverberated off the walls to prove she had been there.  
  
Lucius continued to sit in his chair, his heart beating violently against his chest. The touch of her velvet hands had caused the stirrings he had had before to spread from his stomach into his entire body. He smothered his face on the desk and fell asleep there, a mountain of papers to grade forgotten.  
  
**  
  
Madam Pomfrey was surprised to see Hermione Granger limping such a terrible cut, and without an escort. Hermione declined to tell the nurse where she had been when she stepped on the glass and proposed it was someone's cruel idea of a joke to leave glass just lying around. Hermione wasn't much of a liar and Madam Pomfrey was sure the student was lying but gave no more questions and mending her, sending her on her way with a disapproving look.  
  
The trekking up the stairs was a slow one. Her heart was feeling heavy, just when she thought she had a firm control on her emotions. She stopped and squinted her eyes. 'I DO have control over my feelings,' she thought to herself and turned on her heel back to Defense against the Dark Arts room.  
  
She really had expected Lucius to have barred the door after she left but it opened easily. All the candles and torches were still lit and Hermione's puddle of blood that trailed out the door was now dried as if he hadn't bothered to get up.  
  
"Professor?" she asked looking around. Behind a large stack of parchment, Lucius Malfoy's small snores were the only thing making noises in the room. Not knowing whether to smile or wake him up in rage, she did neither.  
  
She fixed herself together a broken broom handle and wrapped a rag around it to clean the insides of the vials. Some of the smaller ones she had problems with. After the shelves were clean and Hermione had all the beakers in the right containers she was near falling asleep. It was 11:30 now. She wanted to prolong her detention to keep away from Harry. He was beginning to suspect something in Hermione she didn't even realize-yet she could feel his piercing gaze when she came in late every night from detention. Hermione HAD to stay a little later so Harry would be asleep.  
  
Lucius had left all of his papers still not graded. She picked up the stack of parchment and his answer key. Harry and Ron's papers were good but that was only because she had helped them and pointed out all their mistakes. She shook her head as she gave them a decent passing grade. Draco Malfoy's paper was extremely well thought out and it surprised Hermione very much. She was looking forward to giving him a T. Lavender and Parvati had done an o.k. job but it was obvious they had cheated off one another. On one question about the rise of Vade Keda, who was the creator of the killing curse, Lavender had put the answer "I don't know," and Parvati had put "I don't either," which made Hermione snort.  
  
Lucius had left way too many homework assignments not graded that before she could make a mark on Lee Jordan's paper, the quill dropped from in between her fingers and her heavy eyelids slammed shut. Lucius's less then accommodated bed felt completely secure as she was wafted off into dream land.  
  
Hermione awoke to find Lucius pacing the room. The window that viewed the outside area still suggested it was night time.  
  
"Professor?" she asked in a groggy voice and crumbling some of the parchments as she set up.  
  
Lucius threw his arms in the air with dramatic action. "Why are you back here? Do you realize it is 4 a.m. and if you are found here, it would be terrible for both of us?"  
  
Hermione stretched her long, lean body across the bed and groaned. "I suppose, but we didn't do anything, now did we?"  
  
"That's not the point," he huffed, sitting on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands. "Why did I let him talk me into doing this?" Lucius cried.  
  
Hermione sat Indian style and leaned forward, wiping the crust from her eyes. "Who?"  
  
"Who, what?" he snapped. Then Lucius froze and stared at her. "It's nothing."  
  
She leaned in closer, those brown eyes drinking him in. She raised her hand again to touch him gingerly on his lips and he pulled away. "Why can't I touch you?" she whispered, her eyelashes heavy and her heart thundering.  
  
His face was stern but his eyes were watery. "You're my student. You are a dirty blood. You are a goody two-shoes little child. I could have a twelve foot parchment on the reasons I can't have you touching me."  
  
Hermione was so close to his face now, he could see the lines in her lips. "I want to be bad, like you. I feel like everyone here are foolish, worthless cowards. I want to be in that same wave length as you are, to understand what you feel. I feel like we have a connection." She was now stroking his cheek but he didn't notice. Their eyes were locked as is they were having a reading each others minds. Lucius raised one quivering hand to touch her milky white skin as if he was accepted her request.  
  
"Listen to me, girl, you could never be as skilled as I am nor could I teach you. I do not trust you but give me a reason to and I might think about it. Tomorrow when you come for detention we will have a proper dinner and talk it over. Dress nicely, unlike the wardrobe you HAVE been wearing, and just leave the old robes here because you will eat then you will work." He was saying all of this with a serious face but inside it was a different story.  
  
Hermione looked amazed and a lop-sided smiled adorned her face. "Are you asking me for a date?" she asked, with an infamous Malfoy smirk, batting her long black eyelashes.  
  
Lucius looked stunned. "Not in the least, you hormone driven teenager! I will be actually teaching you and you will dress accordingly, as if you were in my class room. Besides, you have been much help in this room and I think not depriving you of food for one day will, let's hope, make you get on the ball and finish this mess," he said with a small smile glazed across his handsome face. "Well, get to bed and if you get stopped by Filch just tell him you had a 'womanly' emergency. He cowers over those situations."  
  
"Tomorrow, then?" she asked, slowly slipping her hand away from Lucius's face.  
  
"I suppose I'm supposed to be punishing you and not teaching you but I suppose just tomorrow won't hurt," Lucius said sternly.  
  
**  
  
When Hermione woke up in her private dorm, Harry was still asleep and snoring loudly. She slipped out of the covers, looking happier then she had in weeks. She didn't know what it was about Lucius but she was suspecting tonight he would sit and listen to her distress-or was that really what it was that excited her?  
  
She pulled on a wooly black sweater that was deeply V-necked and a gray and black checkered knee skirt. Standing in front of the mirror with a look of disgust on her face she began to tug her brush through her bushy hair. She pulled half of it out and clasped it back with a butterfly pendant that flapped its wings. Finally she pulled on her Gryffindor robes over it all and was ready for the day, her old Slytherin work robes folded nicely at the bottom of her knapsack that she had forgotten to leave in Lucius's classroom.  
  
Hermione had Herbology again and a double session of History of Magic. Transfiguration was easy to get through since she had excelled quite well over the years. Arithmacy, Hermione's favorite class, was last and she was in quite a good mood by the end of the day. She was extremely nervous now though, as well. What could she possibility talk to Lucius about over dinner?  
  
She checked her hair one more time before leaving the common room; after all her classes she headed towards to cold dungeons of Hogwarts. The torches outside of the Defense against the Dark Arts room were out and Hermione knocked instead of usually walking in.  
  
"Yes?" Lucius's voice bellowed through the thick door. Hermione entered and in the front of the class room Lucius had sat a table up with a velvet table cloth covered in sweet potatoes, a large roasted ham, spotted dick, and a few large bowls filled with corn and black eyed peas.  
  
The thing Hermione was looking at wasn't the food but Lucius himself. He was dressed in light green robes with black straps twirling around the arms and a large blue cape was wrapped around his shoulders and belted in the middle of his chest. There was also a long scarf like material that draped over his large shoulders bearing the M on both ends of it. His hair was pulled back completely, not one hair out of place unlike the usual when it covered his eyes.  
  
"Well don't just stand there and stare. I'm only repaying you for the hard work and the number you did on my son," he chortled. "Come and sit," he said, putting out a chair for her.  
  
The food was good as Hermione slowly cut up her ham and chewed slowly as well. She was wanting to say something to him but he seemed as if he didn't want to converse. He was staring at his plate scooping up peas and then rolling them down his fork and back on his plate.  
  
"Did you prepare this yourself?" she asked offhandedly.  
  
"No, house elves of course," Lucius said gruffly. He stared at her and tried to control to urge to feel her soft skin under his fingertips again.  
  
"So, how does you wife feel about you being gone for so long?"  
  
He glared at her for a moment. "She left me a few months ago. Last I heard, Narcissa was in France, married to some rich Wizard named Freize Bulunty."  
  
He wasn't married anymore! Hermione shoveled another piece of ham in her mouth, not knowing what to say. Swallowing it quickly, she stood up. "I think I should get started. What is in need of cleaning?"  
  
"The back closet," Lucius said without looking up. He threw his napkin in the half eaten plate of food and stood up, walking back into his private office without saying a word to her.  
  
Hermione wanted to reach out to him but she could tell he was a man who could sort out his own problems. She went into the back room and changed from her Gryffindor robes to the Slytherin ones. The closet was so terrible there was mold caked to nearly every shelf in the place. Most of the boxes that were stacked one on top of the other were oozing with some kind of purple gunk. Then there was a large red chair in the other corner that was caked with seven inches of dust. A few assorted boxes were on the shelves as well. Hermione kicked at the dirty floor and pouted.  
  
She began getting the little boxes off the shelves and going through them. Most of it was old papers from former students in the Defense class. A piece of paper slipped out of the pile ironically with Lucius's name written boldly at the top. It read:  
  
Dear Mr. Malfoy,  
  
Your son, Lucius A. Malfoy, has not shown the kind of successful magical power we expect from an Auror and we are sorry to inform you that he will not be chosen as one of the students in Hogwarts graduating as an Auror.  
  
Sincerely, Briskas Thimbleton Headmaster of Hogwarts  
  
"An Auror?" Hermione whispered, unable to believe it. Lucius was a death eater; surely he didn't want to become an AUROR!  
  
"You are such a nosey little twit, you realize?" Lucius snatched the parchment quickly from her hands. He towered over her with a menacing look on his face. "If I couldn't be an Auror then I could be the next best thing to one," he snapped, exposing the Dark Mark on his left forearm. Hermione looked at with amazement. "You want to be like this, chained under a master that will never free you except for in death? You are just a foolish little girl with big dreams."  
  
"No," she whispered, running her fingers across the scar of a snake protruding through a skull. "I want to know if you feel the same way I feel- as if the world scorned us to be the way we are. You wanted to be an Auror but settled for second best and I want to be a pureblooded witch, but I all I can do is read books that doesn't get me any closer to being a pureblood-- the way you are. I don't want to serve Voldemort; I just want to be a strong witch, with an attitude as yours is, without the fact that I have no magic blood in me what so ever."  
  
Hermione stood up to him and a small tear slid down the crevice between her cheek and nose. Lucius's feelings of control were shattered as he leaned down closer to her. Her eyes were closed and she was trying not to cry but when she felt Lucius's full, soft lips press delicately against hers, the emotion of pure bliss made more fat tears roll down her face as he kissed her deeply with his tongue. He put one hand around her hair, massaging the thick curls and with his other hand he was running his hand across her hip.  
  
Hermione pulled back and their breath clashed together as they stared at each other, their heart both blazing with the heat of passion. Lucius wasn't forceful, and didn't scare her as Draco as been in the girls' bathroom and she felt like Jell-O in his fathers arms.  
  
Lucius groaned with satisfaction when he pulled her off the ground and began sucking seductively on her neck. Hermione wrapped her long, slender legs around his hips and pressed her private parts against his growing erection, groaning helplessly, and gasping his name. Hermione hadn't expected this to happen. She had been so sure she could handle him but he was so desirable.  
  
Lucius fumbled quickly with the clasps on Hermione's robes as she did his, like they were wayward, inexperienced teenagers. He was gasping with anticipation when he heard a noise, and jerked backwards.  
  
Hermione was struggling to get her breath back, "Wh-wh-what is it, Lucius?" It didn't have to be answered. Draco and Seamus were both staring at the teacher and student through the closet window with bewildered looks on their face. 


	5. Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

anna70: I like your sense of humor *not sarcastic*, and yes at least you are reading my piece of shit story *grumbles* May luck carry you wherever you may wonder.  
  
SicDreamsInc: Thanks again for another encouraging review! I'm damning the fact that you have school! I could just spend the day chatting with you (and writing in between of course). And I'm actually falling in love more with Lucius then Draco *gasps* I think its cause he's an older and so SOPHISTICATED! *quivers in ecstasy* I think I'll take them both actually. Draco=young and frisky. Lucius=older and more experienced. Oh dear *fans her face* hahaha ^_^ BTW your rambling isn't ramble to me but encouragement beyond anything else ^_^ .'specially anna70's reviews. Oh yeah!! *war face*  
  
animegrl1984: Some errors might come from the fact that when use three periods it doesn't come out the way I would like on FF.net but I did read through and see a few errors. I admit, I did rush through chapter four. I apologize, but could you point them out to me next time, perhaps I can fix it. I never claimed to be an English major ^_^ Thanks for telling me about the errors! It helps me in the long run. I DID run through it and edit what I found and posted the edited version but if you see more, please tell me!  
  
pent-up-dragon: I shall try my best to fix those damn typos. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Emmy Hart: I hope this chapter answers all your questions ^-^ you are so nice, thank you for liking my story (and I'm glad you still like Draco, I know I do! Sorry for having to make him so mean! Haha)  
  
Jennifer Taylor: Rest in peace, my dear. You will be missed. We all cry for you.  
  
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to the e-mail in my profile or review. BTW, when you get to the end of the chapter though this may seem like the end of the story.it isn't, so please R&R so I know how I'm doing. Now, my good reader, we shall march onward.  
  
Chapter 5: Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown  
  
Four eyes seemed to be locked at once. Seamus was staring at Hermione with a scowl of disgust; Draco's bewildered stare turned to a spitting grin as he surveyed his father. The young Malfoy's gray eyes looked like they were now blue, happy and seemed to dance with glee.  
  
Lucius broke his gaze at the intruders and craned his neck down to look at the shuddering little school girl that was scuffling with her robes. He instantly broke apart from her and his lip curled, as if he hadn't even known what he was doing. Hermione put her hand out to feel his face, for he had always permitted her before but this time he smacked it away and glared at her, his eyes on fire. Hermione pulled back her hand and held it, tears brimming over her eyelids.  
  
"Come in," Lucius growled, casting Alohomora and unlocking the door.  
  
Draco strolled in as if he had just won the Quidditch World Cup. He smirked at Hermione. "I see. You had a taste of a Malfoy and after that you couldn't get enough, is that it? Father, did she taste as good to you as she did to me?"  
  
Hermione had expected Lucius to draw back and punch Draco but he kept his fists at his side and a calm look painted on his long face. "Didn't I tell you that you were not allowed here at this hour?" he asked, the lines in his forehead growing.  
  
Draco ran one hand through his sleek silver hair. "Ah, yeah, you did. I, now, see why. That is beside the point though, Father. I caught this Gryffindor lurking in the halls"-he pointed at Seamus, who was still standing in the door way--, "and I followed him. I'm head of Slytherin house and I MUST enforce the rules," he said with fake dignity. "I saw him come into your room, which surprised me because the classroom doors are barred by this time. Then I watched him stare dumbly into this room for about five minutes before I confronted him. He didn't even notice when I called for him. I came to see what he was so entranced about and look what I find," Draco said, the smirk spreading across his face, making his cheeks raise well over his eyes.  
  
"And what, pray I ask, did you find?" Lucius dared.  
  
"Father, are you trying to tell me that my eyes just deceived me and you weren't about to stick your-manhood in this girl that is nearly twenty years your junior?"  
  
Lucius pulled his jet black wand from his silky robes and pointed it directly in between Draco's blond eyebrows. "Yes, that is what I'm telling you," he said grimly, opening his mouth to spout a memory charm when a tall, white bearded wizard stepped in behind Seamus.  
  
"Lucius, please, put the wand down and let's have a cup of tea," Dumbledore said calmly. He was wearing a nerdy looking plaid pointy hat and matching pajama robes. He was smiling happily as always. "The young ones, who should be in their dormitories, are to return there and get what few hours of sleep you have left."  
  
The lifted wand wavered for a moment between Draco's sweating brows and fell, overpowered, at Lucius's side. "Yes, Headmaster," he said, glaring at the old man as if he would strangle him. "But I can deal with my son in the manner I choose."  
  
"As you should and you will choose to send him to his dormitory and to keep hushed about this," the feeble looking, but strong man said gently. He was looking directly at Draco as he spoke, who was also scowling at the Headmaster.  
  
"We'll see how long that will last," Draco challenged. His gray eyes pierced into Hermione and he blew her a kiss, winking. He pushed violently past Seamus and slammed the classroom door with both hands to make sure it echoed nice and loud.  
  
Dumbledore bent down and whispered something in Seamus's ear that made his horrified face turn calm. He turned around without looking at Hermione and made his way out of the dramatic situation. Hermione just stood there, not knowing what to do. She wanted so desperately to run and hide behind Lucius, to hear him say he didn't care about his job or his dignity. She wanted to hear him say he had feelings for her. The look on his face told her he would never even think of saying such a thing. She was just a Mudblood after all. Hermione's heart sank to the pit of her stomach and seemed to boil in the acids there, never to beat again.  
  
"Miss Granger," the Headmaster said softly. "I propose you leave as well. You do have classes tomorrow, I imagine."  
  
Hermione nodded but she felt like her feet were planted to the floor. The unyielding feeling in her chest was overwhelming. Lucius continued to stare at the Headmaster, with his face forlorn at last. His breathing was deep and fast as his chest rose and fell visibly under his loose-fitting robes. 'Look at me,' Hermione begged him in her head. 'Just look at me one last time.please, don't let me leave you.' Her throat felt clogged and she had to bite the inside of her cheeks to keep from weeping out loud.  
  
She found the strength in her to lift one foot, then the other until she had a steady walk going. She hung her head as she walked past the long haired Professor, bushing her hand against his, hoping he would just grab her but he only took one step back and turned away.  
  
Dumbledore put one gnarled hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off cruelly. "Don't you dare touch me," she growled at him, her eyes filling with fresh tears. He wouldn't feed her any of that sympathy. She had wanted it all to happen. She had wanted it.  
  
Then the longing refutation exploded in her like dynamite as she stepped into the dungeon hallways that were cold and clammy. It had been the feeling that had been enslaved and finally let free to fly within her.  
  
No, Hermione hadn't liked Lucius at all. She loved him with every inch of her being. And he had treated her like the scum of the earth, as he always had. He despised her and always will.  
  
With such a disturbed feeling, his kisses now just felt like spit in her mouth.  
  
**  
  
Studying for Snape's Lethal Potions quiz was harder then usual as Hermione lay curled up on a large feather pillow next to the roaring fire. Everyone was chattering away. It had only been three days since the incident in Defense against the Dark Arts but usually news traveled fast in Hogwarts. No one had even acted different towards Hermione, though, save for Seamus who avoided her whenever possible. It was if it never happened. Hermione didn't bother returning for her last evening of detention and hid in the old D.A. room, spending the entire night staring up at the white ceiling.  
  
Tonight was the Halloween feast and everyone was planning happily for it. The Headmaster had insisted it be a gala affair and everyone was to wear a costume to the dinner. The majority of Gryffindors had planned it out and was all matching in tan jump suits with Luna Lovegood's enchanted lion hats adorned their head. A few others had dressed as ogres and Ron dressed in some old tattered robes and said he was Lupin, Defense against the Dark Arts professor by day and Werewolf by night.  
  
Hermione hadn't even bothered with a costume and had intended to stay in the common room, studying how rashroot and Raeth's fang can make an object explode if combined. Ginny, who insisted on forgiving and forgetting, had begged her since this morning to just go for the food. She pulled out one of her old pointed witch hats that belonged to Molly, her mother, and put it on her. "You can be a witch," she said with a supportive smile.  
  
Dressing up wasn't what had scared Hermione away from the feast. She actually looked forward to Halloween most of all. Hogwarts was always so alive at this time of the year. It was HIM. He would have to be there. All the teachers have always attended the Halloween feast and Hermione was sure Lucius would be with them all. She just couldn't look at his face, yet. She just wasn't ready, but as her love for Ginny would have it, she agreed.  
  
Slipping the bookmark marked with the Gryffindor emblem in the book, it announced the amount of time she had spent studying and then closed itself within a mass of pages. The gaining amount of roaring in the Gryffindor common room was amazingly annoying and Hermione couldn't even make out the words in the book with all the noise.  
  
"Are you ready?" Ginny asked Hermione, her arm looped around Harry's. Harry was having a terrible time keeping the large lions head balanced on his bushy amount of black hair. It kept falling over his eyes and roaring in his ears. Ginny had to hold it up for him while they walked down to the Great Hall.  
  
The feasting hall was already packed with students waiting for the party to start. Hermione's heart cracked heavy against her ribs as she noticed Lucius wasn't sitting with the rest of the teachers who were all already congregated and talking over their empty plates. Dumbledore was dressed in a bulky pink rabbit costume and looked extremely silly next to Professor Mcgonagall who was wearing her standard teaching robes, her hair still pulled up in a rigid bun atop her head and hidden by a simple emerald green hood.  
  
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione found Ron sitting with Lavender at the front of the room. They walked past the Slytherin table. Draco was dressed like a vampire with every strand of hair slicked back and a cape with a collar that rose above his head and came to a sharp point. He had obviously used a spell to change his eyes from smoky gray to blood red. There was also artificial blood running from the corner of his lips. Pansy sat beside him, looking bored. She was dressed in an old Victorian dress and had a trail of more fake blood running from her neck. Draco hissed as they walked by but none of them bothered to look at him.  
  
The tables were adorned with large pumpkins with gaping, toothless smiles that spoke constantly. It was most annoying and some people at the Hufflepuff table had begun chucking them at the wall, almost causing Filtch to have a heart attack. The black candles that were on tall black pedestals were singing soft Halloween songs that no one could hear over the other noise.  
  
"Hi, everyone!" Luna Lovegood said, coming over to join them. Her hair was pulled up in several ponytails all around her head. She was wearing a skirt that went well past her feet and a flowery red blouse with no shoulders. "You wouldn't believe the Galleons I've made selling those roaring Gryffindor hats. Great idea, huh?"  
  
Hermione, who had gotten a headache long before they had even gone into the Great Hall, only nodded with her eyes squinted at all the noise.  
  
Luna just laughed. "I can't believe we actually lost another Defense against the Dark Arts teacher," she said, tilting her pony tailed head towards the professors.  
  
Hermione stood up quickly, knocking her chair over. Many of the lion roars ceased. "What do you mean?"  
  
Luna looked at her with a bewildered look on her face. "Didn't you know? He resigned a few days ago, something about the ministry needing him for a serious job." She shrugged. "I didn't care much for him anyways. Dumbledore actually took his spot until they can get someone to fill in. How desperate and the last one didn't even stay an entire week! It must be a cursed job."  
  
"Hermione, why don't you sit down? What's wrong?" Ginny asked, tugging on her clothes but she didn't sit down. She had finally noticed the old man in the bunny costume, gazing at her with a look of remorse. She shook her head no and he only nodded back at her.  
  
Hermione pulled Ginny's hand away from her robes. "There's-there's something I must do," Hermione stuttered, setting her chair up and backing away from them. "I, uh, think I left something in my dorm. Don't wait on me to eat," she cried, as she turned away from her friends and stumbled over a piece of pumpkin, nearly falling to the floor. She retained her balance and fled from the huge room, a million eyes watching her.  
  
A few minutes later, Draco excused himself from the table.  
  
**  
  
The Defense against the Dark Arts room was completely empty-and completely clean. Everything was in its place and even the display cases were shining like crystal. The stacks of homework Lucius had yet to grade were gone and no papers, not even a small note remained. Hermione pulled out all the drawers. They were all empty. The podium as well had no papers behind it.  
  
In the professor's private office, the bed was stripped of its sheets and pillows. The windows were no longer covered with curtains. The desk was no longer scattered with quills and sheets of unused parchment. Everything was completely bare down to the last rug and picture.  
  
"Surely he left something," she said sadly, looking under the bed, finding only cobwebs. Could he really leave her without any word? He seemed as if he really had liked her, even LOVED her if she dared to think that much into it. She was beginning to open the drawers in the private desk when she heard someone come in.  
  
"Looking for something?" a deep, sweet voice drawled. LUCIUS! Hermione turned around quickly, audaciously smiling. Deep red eyes stared back at her, a glint of mischievousness in them.  
  
Draco grabbed her wrist before she could pull her wand out from the inside of her robes. He shook one finger in front of her face and gave her a soft tsk tsk. "I knew you would come back," he breathed, running his nose along the hollow of her neck and smelling the sweet scent of her flesh. "Why would my father want something so filthy?" he whispered against her skin. "Don't you realize he wants nothing more to do with you? Maybe he wanted to find out if a Mudblood was good in bed, but he never wanted you, really."  
  
Hermione pulled her hand away from him and tried desperately to pull her wand out of its pocket but he knocked her hand away and pushed her on the small bed, her head smacking the stone wall. He lay on top of her, one of his hands wrapped around both of her wrists, his breath reeking of chocolate and butter beer. Hermione was kicking and screaming but he was so much bigger then her.  
  
He pushed his free fingers in between her legs and felt the warmth there. "Ah, as much as you hate to deny it, do I not look like my father? I can please you in ways he can no longer do. If you accept this--" he pressed his two fingers harder against her stimulated nub-"I won't tell anyone why my father really left and you can go on pretending to all your friends, as if this never happened." He slipped past the thin strip of material that covered her most private of places, sliding his middle finger inside of her and shuddering with pleasure. Tears streaked across Hermione's face.  
  
"I don't care," she choked. She was biting on her lower lip so hard it began to bleed down the side of her already tear stained cheek. "I would rather have no friends then know I've had sex with you, Draco."  
  
He chuckled. "I knew you would say that," he cooed, moving his finger in and out of her with increasing speed. "But that doesn't matter. I will get what I want-I always do. I made sure my father was caught by hinting to that idiot Seamus earlier that day. I used him as an excuse to barge in on you both. I KNEW he wanted you. He wanted you because I did but I got rid of him. Dumbledore fired him but agreed to give him a temporary job in the Ministry to cover up his little mistake." He leaned down and kissed her with his wet lips, forcing his tongue through her lips but she kept her teeth clenched.  
  
Hermione's vision was nearly blank. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and he was touching her, making her feel like she was going to vomit. She bawled up both hands and tried to wrench them out of his grasp but he held tight to her. She tried to knee him in the groin again but he had been smarter this time and he had his knees pressed against her knees and she couldn't even move her leg to the side. She felt completely helpless.  
  
'You can't be so weak and dependant on other people to protect you. To survive, you must be your own defense. No one else is in charge of you but you.' Lucius's words reverberated through her mind. What could she do? There was nothing left for her to defend herself with! It was so hard to think with his disgusting fingers plunging in and out of her. 'C'mon, Hermione, use your.head.'  
  
Draco leaned in to kiss her again and she, without warning, bashed her head against his with all the force in her neck. It caused her to see stars for a moment, but Draco was obviously feeling much worse then she was. He had let go of her wrists and removed his hand from her beneath her panties and was holding the right side of his eye, groaning loudly. Hermione took her balled up hands and swung them like a spiked flail, colliding with the side of his face he wasn't holding. Draco fell off the bed and Hermione pulled out her wand.  
  
"IMMOBULUS!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, sweat beading off her forehead. He froze, his hand still holding his face. Hermione wiped a drop of sweat from under her nose. Her entire body was quivering but she stepped over Draco and opened the few drawers in Lucius' personal desk that she hadn't checked yet.  
  
In the very bottom drawer was a piece of glass covered in dried blood.  
  
**  
  
She had wanted to tell Dumbledore. She had wanted to expose all the lies and deceits Draco had made but she couldn't. She had no proof.and Lucius had kissed her. They had been found. It wouldn't make a difference if Dumbledore knew the truth or not. Hermione was almost sure he DID know, but there was nothing anyone could do now. He was gone.  
  
When Hermione stepped into the common room the day after her incident with Draco, everyone had stopped talking and stared at her. She froze and stared back at them.  
  
"What?" she asked with a confused look drawn on her face.  
  
Harry stood up and walked out with a disgusted look, followed by Ginny who wouldn't even glance Hermione's way. Ron and Lavender were looking at her but when she gazed towards them they looked away. Seamus, alone, remained locked on her.  
  
"What is wrong with everyone?" Hermione demanded to Seamus, her hands on her hips.  
  
"Draco told everyone-about you and Lucius at dinner. Dumbledore asked me not to say anything, but you can't lie to everyone now. I told them it was true." Seamus said with a small look of revenge fulfilled in his eyes.  
  
The heat of embarrassment rose in her face. "What exactly did he tell everyone?"  
  
"Well, you know, you and Lucius were having-sex when we walked in and seen you," he said cautiously.  
  
"WE WERE NOT!" she shouted suddenly, her face now the color of a radish. "We were only KISSING!" It somehow felt good to finally get it out in the open.  
  
Ron stood up suddenly. He pushed the table over that was holding his and Lavenders chess game. "HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US YOU WERE SCREWING THE DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS TEACHER?" Ron accused, his rage making his freckles stand out. "HE'S A MALFOY! YOU'RE JUST NOTHING BUT A DEATHEATERS WHORE!" He marched off and up into the dormitory. Lavender continued to sit in her chair but she was grinning evilly at Hermione.  
  
"He's right, you know," she said, perching her lips together and bending down to pick up the chess pieces that were complaining loudly.  
  
Hermione punched her side and climbed through the portrait. Seamus followed her shortly after.  
  
"Look, everyone else is mad at you but they will get over it," he said. He began rubbing her back. Hermione jerked at his touch. "Hey, it's ok, it's just me-your ex, remember? Look.if you want to get back together, I promise I can get them to over look this whole thing. We can be a normal couple like before. Remember?" He looked hopeful.  
  
Hermione stared into his brown, pleading eyes. At that moment she wished she could just disappear and never come back. 


End file.
